


Ten Years

by Runs_With_Wolves1



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Angst, Canon Divergence - A Tale of Two Stans, F/M, Family Drama, Family Feels, Fishing, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mullet Stan Pines, Not Canon Compliant, One Shot Collection, Young Stan Twins
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-07
Updated: 2019-12-07
Packaged: 2021-02-25 05:02:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21690619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Runs_With_Wolves1/pseuds/Runs_With_Wolves1
Summary: A lot can happen in ten years. Reconnecting with your estranged brother can be difficult. Stanley Pines is:1. A crab fishermanOne shots of what could have happened to Stan in those ten years. Mostly focusing on the Pines family being reunited.
Relationships: Filbrick Pines & Stan Pines & Caryn Romanoff Pines, Ford Pines & Stan Pines, Sherman "Shermie" Pines & Stan Pines
Comments: 5
Kudos: 70





	Ten Years

Stanley loved the ocean, had grown up on dreams of sailing the high seas with his brother. Dreams of treasure hunting were long gone and now all Stan hunted on the seas were Alaskan king crab. It was a dangerous job, but the pay was good and Stanley enjoyed the hard work. Twenty hour work shifts or not. He loved the sea and being on it. The ocean had never frightened him, at least not until now.

The Santa Emilia had listed to the starboard side and was taking on water quickly. Stan sputtered as cold sea water slammed into his face, nearly knocking him over. The survival suit was large and stiff, having never been used except for in practice. He could see the life raft ahead, Moore calling to him.

"Come on, Pines! Jump!"

There were no other options, the forty foot swells were sinking the Santa Emilia quickly. Stan yanked on the cord on his survival suit, inflating the vest as he jumped over the railing. He hit the water and went under. Everything was silent. The water was cold and Stanley could feel it even through his suit. The calm didn't last as he floated up, head breaking the surface.

Two sets of strong arms grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him onto the life raft. Stan sputtered a coughed up the mouthful of salt water he'd swallowed, looking at the rest in the crew.

There were five others, and Robertson had a gash on his forehead that was leaking blood down his face. Only five others.

"Where's Andrews and the Cap?!"

Moore grimaced and turned to look at the sinking vessel. Stan felt his stomach drop.

"Andrews was last seen in the engine room, Cap went back for him."

The crew watched silently as the bow of the Santa Emilia sunk beneath the waves. Moore handed Stanley the EPIRB to hold onto as he helped Robertson stop the bleeding.

All that was left to do was wait and hope the Coast Guard received their EPIRB signal.

* * *

Ford smiled as he picked up the rining phone, watching as Fiddleford tried desperately to get a roosting eye-bat down from the rafters.

"This is Stanford Pines."

_"Hello Mr. Pines-"_

"Dr. Pines."

_"Excuse me, Dr. Pines. This is Central Peninsula Hospital, we have you down as Stanley Pines' emergency contact."_

"I- yes, yes. He's my brother! Is he okay?"

Fiddleford stopped chasing the eye-bat with a broom and looked at Ford in concern.

_"He's doing well. Some mild hypothermia and dehydration. He's seen our inhouse shrink and should be ready to discharge tomorrow, but we would like to have someone pick him up. It's usually best after such traumatic events."_

"I'm sorry, but what traumatic event? Is Stan there, can I speak to him?"

_"Hold on a moment, let me transfer your call."_

Ford bit his lip and paced as much as the corded phone would allow. Fiddleford placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Ford, what's wrong?"

"I-I don't know. Stanley's in the hospital!"

The phone stopped ringing and a hoarse voice answered him.

_"Hello?"_

Ford froze, mouth opening and closing silently. He hadn't heard from his younger twin in eight years, yet here he was on the phone. In the hospital. Any and all anger about his science project was quickly buried under anxiety and worry.

"Stanley! Are you okay?! What happened, where are you?!"

_"Ford?"_

"Stan, are you hurt?!"

_"Ford. . . it's you. I- how did you know I was in the hospital?"_

"They called. I'm your emergency contact apparently."

_"Oh, that's. . . that's good."_

Ford could tell by the choked sound of Stan's voice that he was crying. That was okay, Ford was crying too.

"Please, tell me what happened. Where are you?"

_"I'm in Soldotna, Alaska. The, uh, the crabbing boat I work on went down. Rogue wave."_

Stanley was in Alaska. Stanley was a crab fisherman. Crabbing was an extremely dangerous job, if Ford was remembering correctly, it was the _most_ dangerous job you could have.

"I'm heading up there, I should be there late tonight, maybe early morning."

_"You don't need to Sixer, they dont enforce the discharge system. It's just a recommendation."_

"Nonsense, I'm coming up there. I'll see you soon."

Ford hung up to the sound of Stan's weak bye and immediately headed to his room to pack. Fiddleford trotted after him.

"What's wrong?"

Ford started to toss random clothes into an overnight bag, grabbing some loose clothes he thought might fit Stanley as well.

"Stan's in the hospital in Alaska. I'm going to go get him, bring him back here if he's willing. Fidds, I hate to suddenly put you on the spot but. . . "

"Ya don't even need to ask, Ford. I'll keep an eye on things will yer gone. Go get yer brother."

"Thanks Fidds"

* * *

Soldotna was a small town, half the size of Gravity Falls. Ford was surprised it even had a hospital, small as the hospital it was. Currently, Ford stood nervously outside Stanley's hospital room door. Should he knock? What if he was sleeping, Ford would hate to wake him up, but just walking in was rude. Maybe-

"I know you're out there Sixer, get your nerdy self in here."

Ford opened the door and stepped in. Stanley stood by the window, looking out at the town. He turned to Ford and both brothers just stared. Stanley was taller, and skinnier. His brown hair was long and pulled back in a low ponytail, a few days worth of scruff dusted his face. There were a few stud piercings in both of his ears as well. Ford wondered what Stan though of Ford. Over the eight years, not much had changed for him. He was still the skinny nerdy guy with glasses.

"You got your ears pierced."

As soon as Stanford said it, he wanted to immediately smack himself in the face. Eight years of estrangement and the first thing he said to his brother's face was about his ear piercings?!

Stan laughed for a second, making Ford feel a little bit better.

"Yeah. Got them done a few years back. You, uh, you're taller."

Stanley's voice wavered and Ford could see unshed tears in his twins eyes. Ford held open his arms and suddenly he had Stan in a bone crushing hug. A wet spot was forming on Ford's shirt as Stanley cried.

He alternated between apologising for the science fair project and crying about two men called Andrews and Cap. Ford figured they must be two crew members who didn't survive the boat sinking. The last time Stanford had held Stanley like this was when they were twelve and Stan had found they stray cat he'd been feeding dead. Lee had cried for hours while Ford had clutched his younger twin tightly.

Only now Stan cried for two men lost at sea.

* * *

After being discharged from the hospital, they went to the nearby hotel and Stanley slept all day and long into the next. A memorial service was being held for two crewmen at Dutch harbor, which is the only reason Stan had been able to get Ford into the puddle jumper.

Ford was hesitant to go to the service, having never met the two men, but Stanley had needed the support. The memorial had taken place close to the actually docks where Ford could see dozens of crab boats standing guard.

A man approached them as the ceremony was ending, pulling Stan into a tight hug.

"Pines, good to see you."

"Moore. They release you yesterday?"

This must be another crew member.

"Yeah. I'm good. Robertson has half a dozen stitches and a mild concussion, but everyone else is fine. . . all things considered. You? Are you okay?"

Stanley nodded and rubbed the back of his head.

"Yeah, no bumps, lumps, or scrapes."

Moore gave a tight, painful smile before he pulled Stan back in for another hug. Ford felt like he was intruding. Moore seemed to finally notice Ford and pulled back from Stan, raising an eyebrow.

"Ah, you must be Stanford. It's nice to meet you."

Moore sounded like he had swallowed a particularly sour lemon.

"Yes, um, it's very nice to meet you as well. I, uh, I'm sorry about. . ."

Ford made a sweeping gesture to the rest of the memorial. He could see Moore's jaw ticking.

"Yeah."

Moore turned back to Stan, promptly ignoring Ford.

"Are you coming back? Captain Johnson's taking me on next season."

"Yeah, Laurence is retiring and Captain Novak has asked me to take over as The Fadilla's top deckhand."

"Well I'll be damned, it seems like only yesterday you were a greenie. Now you're gonna have to put those greenhorns in their place."

Ford hadn't known Stan was going to continue crabbing. It made his stomach roll in anxiety.

Everyone was soon leaving and Ford turned to Stan.

"Lee, were do you live?"

"Hmm? Oh I have an appartment in Seattle. That's where a lot of the ships dock between seasons. Stanley Mobile is parked there. Why?"

"I was wondering if you would like to come to my house in Gravity Falls? Just for a little while?"

Stan smiled. It didn't quite reach his eyes, but the pain in his shoulders seemed to lessen slightly. Stanley had been through a lot, and Ford had missed it all, but he would be there from now on.

And he was. They fought about the science project and about Stan being kicked out. They fought about Stanley going back fishing and about Ford trying to summon a 'muse', but the fights never lasted. They could be brothers again. So Stan sold his appartment in Seattle and moved to Gravity Falls. He helped Ford and Fidds hunt their monsters and whenever king crab season was about to start, he could count on his two nerds to drive him to the Seattle docks in the Stanley Mobile.

And if Ford silently cried and refused to leave until The Fadilla was a speck on the horizon every time. . . well Fidds wasn't going to say a word.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feels a bit rushed at the end. Oh well.
> 
> Stan was found by the Cap while in Seattle a year after being kicked out. Cap took him in, helped him get a GED, and then hired him for crab fishing. The Cap was like his father.
> 
> If you can't tell, I watch a lot of Deadliest Catch.
> 
> Can anybody spot the Supernatural reference?


End file.
